The Black Swordsman
by Lady Shisou
Summary: Things went differently. Asuna took the fatal blow that was meant for Kirito and died. Amused, Heathcliff decided to offer Kirito a deal he could not refuse. He would revive Asuna; but nothing in SAO comes cheap. Kirito would go any lengths to save his beloved. Even if it meant changing sides and becoming the Demon King's servant. KiritoxAsuna
1. Prologue

This is my first SAO fic so go easy on me yeah? This genre is pretty difficult for me to write since there are technical terms to know but I like a good challenge.

If anyone sees a misuse of technical terms please do tell. :3

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

"I'll give you a chance to have a one-on-one duel with me," Heathcliff said in an arrogant tone, his sharp eyes looking down at Kirito. The dark haired swordsman's eyes widened in surprise, caught off guard by the offer. The air was tense with anticipation as everyone waited for Kirito's reply.

His hold on Asuna tightened. "No," Asuna half whispered. "It's a trap! He wants to get rid of you—"

"I know," Kirito muttered. He knew, yet he could not ignore it. How could he ignore the pain that Asuna suffered at the maniac's hands? How could he ignore the tears and terror of the girl he loved? This man was responsible for everything. And now, the chance was right in front of him. The chance to put an end to him and this death game. Then, there would be no more deaths, no more fear.

The rational part of his brain kicked in, reasoning that he wasn't strong enough. _Not yet._ All of them were 25 floors too early to be facing the final boss. _But this was his chance._ If all the floors above them required the same number of lives to get pass each boss, how many would be left to fight the last boss? And then, all those deaths would be on his conscience.

"I'm sorry," Kirito said finally, turning his head to meet Asuna's teary eyes. As if she could see through his inner conflict, the vice-commander to the Knights of Blood offered him a small smile.

"I trust you, Kirito."

After that, everything else was like a blur to Kirito. He vaguely remembered thanking Egil for his support, and apologizing to Klein. The sound of metal clashing metal still rang sharply in his mind as he forced his body to go faster and faster. Fatigue clung to his bones yet he dismissed it all, refusing to relent on his furious onslaught. _It was no use._

The stoic leader of the Knights of Blood stood firm behind his shield, not once betraying any emotion. His calmness fueled Kirito's rage and he renewed his strength. _He was going to win this._

It was only until he had executed his combo, the high level skill called Eclipse, that Kirito realize he was not going to win. In the end, he was still a pawn to the system. Kirito saw Heathcliff raise his sword in his first and last offensive attack.

Kirito's body registered no pain, yet his ears clearly heard the sound of metal cutting through flesh. The colour orange, white and red danced in front of his eyes.

_Asuna._

The solo player could only catch the girl's falling body in his arms and he stared down disbelievingly at her. The only person he wanted to protect; is dying.

"Oh dear," Heathcliff's deep baritone voice was the last thing that Kirito wanted to hear. It was as if all of Kirito's energy had left him, making him incapable of doing anything. "That was unexpected. I do believe I did not create a way for players to neutralize paralysis by themselves." Those cold, grey eyes scanned the couple at his feet. "She is dying."

"Well that's pretty obvious!" Klein yelled out.

Heathcliff ignored his comment and continued, "If you're interested, I could offer you a deal. If you agree before her virtual body shatters, I will be able to revive her."

Kirito's head immediately shot up. "I'll agree to anything!" the words left him before he could think. The solo player knew there would be consequences, but those were secondary now. Asuna's life, to him, was most important.

"I thought so," Heathcliff said with a sadistic smirk. In one smooth motion, Heathcliff's menu screen opened and he scrolled through, occasionally clicking. "It's done."

Bewildered, Kirito turned his gaze back down at Asuna. The girl was still unconscious in his arms, yet could clearly see her health bar that had previously gone down to zero, slowly rise. Relief flooded through his system and Kirito hugged the girl tightly. Asuna was going to be alright. She was not going to die.

The black swordsman turned his attention back to Heathcliff who still stood there in front of them, waiting patiently. "What do you want from me?" Kirito asked softly. He clenched his fists in agitation, dreading what Heathcliff was going to say.

"Even though my identity have been discovered, the game must still go on. Therefore, I will leave the Knights of the Blood and wait for the players in the Scarlet Ruby Palace," the man announced, "However, you have made a deal with me. In exchange for reviving Asuna, the Vice-Commander of the Knights of the Blood, I want you to join me."

Silence filled the empty space that was once the boss room.

"J-Join you?"

"Yes. There will be two players serving as the antagonists of SAO from now on. You and I." Heathcliff saw the unspoken question in Kirito's eyes and offered an answer. "This is where the thrill lies. The black swordsman has now become a servant of the Demon King, forced to carry out his every bidding. Without him, how can the rest of the players go on?" The excitement in his eyes sickened Kirito to the core.

"You bastard!" Egil yelled out. The big man struggled to get to his feet but the paralysis kept him down. "You can't do this!"

Shrugging his shoulders, Heathcliff pulled another dark blue corridor crystal from under his cloak and held it up to the light. He did not yell out the name of his destination but the crystal shattered, opening a portal into the darkness.

"Come, Kirito-kun," he said stately, already walking towards the portal. "The rest is up to them."

Kirito did not want to move. He did not want to let go of Asuna who was in his arms yet his body was on autopilot and he placed her gently on the ground with the utmost care before shakily getting up on his feet.

"Kirito, you can't do this! He might order you to kill someone!" Klein yelled, a hint of desperation in his voice.

His heavy footsteps echoed in the room as Kirito made his way to the still open portal. "Everyone, I'm really sorry," Kirito said, standing right before the gateway. "Please take care of Asuna for me. Tell her I'll find a way back to her, I promise."

One step. The portal closed behind him and the blood red colour of the Scarlet Ruby Palace that reflected off the crystal cave walls greeted him on the other side. Heathcliff had unequipped his sword and shield and sat on his grand throne made of gold and precious stones.

"Welcome, to the dark side of SAO, black swordsman Kirito."

* * *

So how was it? I've already written half of the second chappie but i wanna know how the response is before i publish it.

Leave a review on your way out! :3


	2. Emotional Balance

A/N: yo! I'm baaack! I did say that half of the chapter was already completed when I posted the prologue. And due to the encouraging reviews, I decided that I could spend some time finishing it off for my wonderful reviewers.

* * *

Emotional Balance

"Commander!"

Asuna looked up from her reports, gazing steadily at her vice-commander, a burly man much like Egil yet with a more refined look. She squinted at him through heavy eyelids, trying hard to concentrate on what he was saying. Funny, were those alphabets stuck to his face?

"Commander? Commander!"

Asuna blinked several times, trying her hardest to keep the sleep out of her eyes and straightened in her seat. "Are you okay?" the man asked, his concern shown clearly on his face.

"Y-Yeah," the girl replied with a sigh. "Continue."

"You are not alright!" the familiar high pitched voice startled Asuna and the vice-commander, both turning their attention to a pink haired girl that stood at the doorway of the Commander's office.

"Lisbeth…"

The blacksmith stomped her way across the threshold and grabbed Asuna's wrist before dragging the girl away with all her energy. It didn't take much to make Asuna move because she gave up struggling halfway, finding herself with no strength to fight back.

"Conrad, was it? I'll talk to you about it tomorrow okay?" Asuna asked with a apologetic smile.

"A-ah."

The bewildered man could only stare in amazement as both girls exited the room in a haste. He sighed and turned around to gaze up at the great tapestry with the Knight's of Blood embelm that hung from a wall in the Commander's Office. Conrad's mouth thinned into a grim, straight line. "I have a bad feeling about what's going to happen after this..."

_We need to do something about the morale._ Even as she was being dragged down the flights of steps to the lobby by a headstrong blacksmith, Asuna could not stop thinking about the current events. The members of her guild that the duo passed on their way out looked both weary and disheartened. _Maybe we should suspend all guild activites for awhile and go on a short vacation..._ Asuna scoffed. There was no enough time for that.

"Hey, Lisbeth, slow down," Asuna said, stumbling a few steps but quickly regaining her footing.

They had left the Knights of Blood headquarters and were now heading towards the field dungeon just outside of the town of Grandam. In her confused state, a part of her mind did question why Lisbeth would want to explore a field dungeon on the 55th floor but a wave of headache swept through and she gave up on the thought completely.

"You look terrible, Asuna," Lisbeth said, throwing a concerned glance back at her friend. "Ever since the floor clearing on the 75th floor, you haven't been yourself. I know it's a lot to take in but you still need sleep and eat y'know."

Asuna hung her head in shame. She knew she was wrong to cause her friends and subordinates to worry but she... Just couldn't help it.

They would not know how it felt to die once, only to be revived and told that her beloved was taken away from her? That he is now an enemy to be defeated? Her fragile heart is breaking into tiny pieces at the thought.

"Hey Asuna."

"Hmm?"

"There's a rare blacksmithing item right at the top of that mountain." Asuna tilted her head before looking at the direction that Lisbeth was pointing at.

A great mountain that seemed to gleam in the evening sun rose up from the metallic forest that dominated most of the 55th floor. Its unique quality made it contrast sharply with the steel grey of its surroundings, a pretty sight to look at. Asuna had countless of times caught herself staring out her office window at the majestic sight.

But today, the mountain did not interest her at all.

"The West Mountain? Yeah, but it was a one time item and a player had received it right?" Asuna asked.

"It was Kirito-kun." Lisbeth's reply caught Asuna off guard and she glanced sideways at her best friend. "During the night that you could not contact me, Kirito-kun and I were up on that mountain, looking for the crystallite ingot to make his sword."

It was dangerous to be standing at the same spot for a long time when there were at the edge of a field dungeon but Asuna decided that it was, considering both their levels, fairly safe for both of them. So, she made herself comfortable on a slab of metal that jutted out from the ground.

"Due to my mistake, we were trapped inside the Crystal Dragon's nest with no way out," Lisbeth continued, still staring at the mountain. She giggled. "The idiot nearly killed himself twice. First, by breaking our fall into the nest and the next, when he tried to run up the walls."

"I was sure we were going to die there, since it was a crystal nullification area. But Kirito-kun thought no such thing. Well, even if he did, he didn't show it."

"We found the ingot and Kirito got us out by hitching a ride on the Crystal Dragon," the blacksmith finished, a small smile etched on her face. "I didn't know what it was to him. But to me, that was one of the most important moments in my life. Kirito-kun gave me a reason to hope. Even if it was for a moment, I experienced something real in this virtual world." Love. But Lisbeth intentionally left the word out. Asuna is married to Kirito. A person like Lisbeth should realise that she could only love him in her heart.

Beside her, tears welled up in Asuna's brown eyes. Her fingers traced the simple wedding band on her ring finger, proof that what she and Kirito had was real. Proof that happiness was possible in this death game. Proof that they made a promise to each other.

"You know Kirito better than I do. You would know that he lives everyday here to its fullest. Let's just be grateful that you are alive, and he is too."

"Yeah, you're right. You're definitely right!" Asuna tackled Lisbeth for a bone-crushing hug. "I'm glad that I have you as my best friend."

It lifted a burden off Lisbeth's chest to hear Asuna's usual light tone, although it was laced with a bitter note. The blacksmith didn't think she could go through another day of dealing with the new Asuna that had emerged from the 75th floor boss battle.

Lisbeth was not there during the battle, but news had travelled far and wide by the time Asuna entered her shop dishevelled, distraught with a distant look that Lisbeth didn't like in her usually warm, brown eyes. News that the Paladin was actually Kayaba Akihiko. The blacksmith had spat out her tea when she read the article that included the Black Swordsman's betrayal and Asuna's rise to the position of Commander of the Knights of Blood after a miraculous revival.

The new Commander remained oddly quiet as Lisbeth worked hard to maintain Asuna's weapon and armor. That was when she began to truly worry for her friend.

Day after day, Lisbeth visited Asuna at her home in Salemberg. The chestnut haired girl seemed to have lost her spirit. Reports, maps and random equipment began to take over Asuna's usually tidy home. It was all the girl was willing to think about. The new Asuna stopped talking and smiling, focusing all her energy on clearing the other floors as quickly and efficiently as possible.

It was terrible.

"I miss him," Asuna admitted in a small voice. "He shouldn't have revived me. I would have been happy to disappear if it meant that Kirito-kun would survive. But that idiot. That rash, thoughtless idiot-"

"He just had to make that deal with Heathcliff." Her lips quivered. "And now, I'm all alone..."

"You're not," Lisbeth said sharply, holding her best friend at an arms length. "I'm here with you. Even... Even Kirito is here with you. Hold on."

The bright light of Lisbeth's menu bar made Asuna wince but she waited patiently as her friend scrolled down her inventory in search for an item. The item materialized in a bright light in Lisbeth's hands. "Here," she said, offering it to Asuna.

Taking it, the first thing that Asuna noted was its black colour. _Kirito. _Tears welled up in her eyes again but she bravely shook them away. It was a cloak; high quality since it had a high durability. The cloth was soft and fur lined, ideal for a cold day. Without much thinking, Asuna placed it on her shoulders. It was also heavy and...warm.

"Kirito let me borrow it when we went to the West Mountain. But I think you need it most now."

This cloak... Was Kirito's. Asuna straightened up and ran her fingers through the material. "Thank you, Lisbeth."

Before the blacksmith could reply, a loud cry startled both girls. Lisbeth and Asuna had engaged in a serious conversation, neither noticing that they had been surrounded by a group of humanoid-like monsters until it was too late.

Asuna activated her sword skill, delivering several quick thrusts to the demon without giving it a chance to retaliate. With a cry, the demon shattered and disappeared. _One down, but…_ Several days worth of sleepless nights made her body feel heavy, adding to her battle fatigue and slowing her down. She glanced at Lisbeth who was trying her best to defeat the demon in front of her with her hammer. They could make it out easily if Asuna had her usual strength but she didn't. And at this rate, their chances of survival weren't looking too bright.

"Use a teleportation crystal!" Asuna yelled out to Lisbeth who made a frustrated noise in return.

"I can't get away long enough to retrieve it from my storage!"

That was true. Asuna didn't have any crystals in her pouch and the monsters were attacking them vigorously, not giving them a chance to let their guard down.

Both girls slashed and hacked but the demons kept on coming. At one point, they stood back to back against the monsters, health bars dangerously nearing the red zone.

Asuna gritted her teeth. Five more monsters. Just five more to go.

* * *

I had been standing in a secluded spot not far away from Lisbeth and Asuna for awhile now, watching the two of them engage in a serious conversation. There were some moments when Asuna looked like she was close to tears. When that happened, I clenched my fists tightly, until my knuckles were white and my nails dug into my palms. No matter how much I wanted to, I could not go to her.

I stayed rooted to my spot, even when I saw a large group of monsters creep near the duo, waiting for the perfect chance to launch an ambush. Unlike labyrinth monsters, the AI that controlled field monsters were more straightforward. They attack in groups, but do not lay in a trap for players or plan ambushes. Especially plan ambushes.

The reason they did now was because I was the one behind it.

"Damn you Kayaba."

The self proclaimed Demon King also known as Heathcliff or Kayaba Akihiko had been gleeful at the current turn of events. "Your strength had disrupted the balance of the game," was all he said when I demanded the reason he forced me to serve him. "There are still a lot of players who refused to participate. You will make them."

"W-what?"

I hated those sharp grey eyes that looked down at me from the height of his throne. They were filled with pity that was directed at me and a sick excitement. My fingers itched to reach for the hilt of my blade and hold it to his neck. But it was no use now. As soon as I reached the Scarlet Ruby Palace, Heathcliff had already changed back to being an immortal object.

The thought that he was worried I might turn against him and kill him pleased me. I would, the first chance I get.

Steeling myself, I met his gaze. "I will not PK anyone," I told him firmly.

"Not yet."

My breath caught in my throat. This man was truly coldhearted.

"I want everyone to participate in this game. They must and they will. Because if they don't, then they won't have a purpose in this game anymore. Isn't it better that they die?"

"I will not PK anyone," I told him once again, my voice harder this time.

Heathcliff shrugged. He drummed his fingers against the arm rest of his golden throne before a smirk spread across his face, an evil glint in his eyes. "News must have reached all across the game by now," he muttered. "Kirito-kun, I'm going to give you, your first assignment."

I remained silent, unwilling to let Heathcliff see my fear.

"Soon, I will make an official announcement regarding the new state of affairs. I need you to play the role of the antagonist from now on. Strike fear in the heart of the players, starting with the new Commander of the Knights of Blood, Asuna." Heathcliff leaned back, assessing how my reaction would be like.

"Show no mercy."

My body trembled slightly, despite my attempt to show no weakness. Asuna's smiling face appeared, unbidden, in my mind. No... "What if I refuse?" I spat bitterly. An uneasy feeling settled deep in my core, making me feel like a cornered prey.

"Then you might as well say your farewells to her forever," Heathcliff replied nonchalently. His menu screen popped up and the crazed psycho chose a few options before a small, blue orb appeared in his palm.

I could already guess what it was.

"Like everyone in SAO, death will come when their health bar hits zero. Before that happens, I have decided not to interfere with the wellbeing of players. However, Asuna has died and was revived. Therefore, I now hold her existance in my hands, in the form of her heart," Heathcliff said as he rolled the orb around in his right palm. "I am sure this is enough to ensure your complete loyalty to me."

One move, and he could end Asuna's life. I gritted my teeth in anger. He was mocking me. Heathcliff knew that I value her life more than mine so he decided to hold her life hostage instead of my own. It was all for his own twisted amusement.

I swore I would put an end to his madness one day.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and walked away towards the teleportation gate of the 100th floor, leaving behind only the echoes of the clicking of my boots against the cold ground.

Which has led me here, on the 55th floor, watching silently as Asuna and Lisbeth fight desperately against the group of monsters.

In an attempt to find a loophole in his words, I have decided that allowing the ambush that consisted of middle difficulty mosnters local to the floor to take a swipe at the two would not endanger their lives. After all, Asuna was already at level 94. She would be able to protect both herself and Lisbeth without much effort.

But was I saw was otherwise. As the fight went on, I noticed that Asuna was significantly slower than she always was. It's as if she was being weighed down invisible blocks of metal that were chained to her limbs. The Lightning Flash Asuna relied on her speed to allow as many moderate damage attacks to the enemy as possible. Without speed, enemies would prove to be a great deal harder when only moderate damage was dealt.

My heart rate quickened when I saw her health bar slowly deplete until it hit the red zone. The same was true for Lisbeth. No! I cannot allow both of them to die!

I took a hesitant step forward. With the control I had over the monsters, I could easily call them off... I took several more steps, now clearly visible to anyone who looked in my direction.

The five remaining monsters closed in on them, holding up their battle axes threateningly. Just as I was about to call a command to the monsters, I saw Asuna activate Star Splash, a high level 8-hit combo. I could tell that she was stretching her limits, pushing her slender body to move as fast as she wanted to. It worked. One by one, the monsters shattered into fluorescent pieces of shards that was swept away by the wind until none was left. She did it.

The chestnut haired girl leaned heavily against her rapier, taking big gulps of air. Then, she looked up, and froze.

"K-Kirito-kun?"

She saw me? I glanced to my left, finally realizing that I had actually moved a distance away from the tree. Even my hiding skills would be no use now. "Asuna," I acknowledged.

My gaze softened at the sight of the beautiful girl, barely able to stand, yet draped in a familiar black cloak that I had given to Lisbeth some time ago. Beside Asuna, Lisbeth had the same expression. Disbelieving.

When neither girl seemed inclined to say anything, I spoke up. "That was reckless."

Lisbeth snapped out of it. She lowered her mace and frowned, "It was unexpected. I didn't think that the monsters here are capable of ambush-"

I cut her off. "They're not."

"I set it up."

The pink haired girl gasped, clearly taken aback by my words. "Y-You wouldn't! Everyone's been calling you a traitor but I know you wouldn't do that!" I looked away, unable to look Lisbeth in the eye anymore.

As a human being, I am probably the worst.

A choked sob. "Kirito-kun..."

I saw the quick movement in the corner of my eye. In a flash of light, befitting her name, Asuna was suddenly near me, close enough to pull me in her loving embrace that I yearned for... but didn't deserve.

My hand went up to unsheath my sword in a smooth motion and before she could reach out for me, I held the blade against her neck.

The expression on her face was one I did not want to see. A look of betrayal, despair and hopelessness. I searched for anger. Wasn't she angry with me for doing this? But i found none.

I pressed the sharp end of the Elucidator closer to the soft flesh of her neck. Asuna's health bar was already flashing red dangerously. A simple stroke would end her permanently. But she held still, not once making an attempt to raise her own rapier.

_Show no mercy._

Forgive me, Asuna.

"Stay away from me," I bit out, relenting my grip on the sword. "I only came here today because I bring a warning."

"What warning?" her voice was cold, devoid of all other emotions.

"That for here on out, things won't be so easy. I am your enemy now."

She scoffed. "That's obvious."

I allowed a small smile to grace my lips. There she was. My Asuna. "You should also know something."

Asuna stepped away from me and my sword, a new strength evident in the way she stood.

It took all my will to get the words out. I had made the decision the moment that Heathcliff revealed the fact that he has Asuna's heart in his possession. "I serve Heathcliff from now on. If he wants me to PK, I will do so with little hesitation."

I didn't wait for her to say anything. As soon as I said what I came to say, I turned my back to her and walked away. It would be easy to hide, since my black clothes blended in so well with the metallic surroundings.

But I couldn't stay.

My second mission is about to start.

A message popped up in front of Asuna not long after Kirito left. Curious, she clicked on it.

It was a system notification with only two words: Marriage Dissolved.

* * *

A/N: So first up, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed! :D i couldn't reply to each and every one of you but I just want you guys to know that it means a lot to me. Especially **lowcrawler** for the support and **Tantei1412** for the great help.

I noticed that quite a few want longer chapters and while I am able to write so, time is not what I have in abundent at the moment. I'll try my best though, to do what I can to make this story better. The length of chapters usually depend on my mood and idea at the time but I'll try to make it regular, around this length whenever possible.

Lastly, this chapter had been a bit too slow for my taste. So I apologise to those who feel the same way. The chapter is called Emotional Balance and I want readers to get a feel of the character's current emotional state.

Till the next chapter! :D leave a review on your way out~


	3. Tainted

A/N: yo! It's Monday on my side of the world and I am back with a new chapter! Hope it brightens anyone's first day of the week. Thank you for the encouraging reviews, they have certainly given me the inspiration to continue writing my little fic.

Before we begin, I should tell you guys that as much as I try to follow the original storyline as closely as I can, things like names of floors above the 75th have not been mentioned anywhere. In my search, I have stumbled upon the game Sword Art Online: Inifinity Moment but alas, I gained nothing from watching playthroughs (mainly cause I can't understand Japanese).

Thus, it could be said that there are many things left to my imagination in the creation of new towns and such.

I shouldn't rant anymore, so read on!

* * *

Tainted

The biggest town on the 76th floor was called Lahar. _It was definitely not a place any player would decide to make their home, _Asuna thought as she strolled into the city square after teleporting from her home floor.

The reason for her statement was a gloomy atmosphere that blanketed over the town, enhanced by the grey clouds overhead. Not to mention, the BGM was a hollow oboe tune that seemed to add to the overall gloominess of the town. Lahar was a moderate sized for a town, slightly smaller than Salemberg but instead of being on an island, it was located at the foot of a sleeping volcano. Asuna had heard some of her guild members who had been here mention that Lahar was also surrounded by several active volcanoes that occasionally erupted so, exploring anywhere outside the safe area would have to be correctly timed. Unless one would want to swim in hot, melting lava.

Despite what she thought, Asuna could see a fairly large number of players walking around in the city in a relaxed fashion. Asuna knew that some players liked to sight see at a new city that the clearers had opened up; but this time, it was more than the usual. A lot of people seemed to be going in and out of large, grey stone buildings that were plenty in Lahar.

"Is there an event going on?" she mused, interest piqued. "Maybe I should go check it out."

"Man, that was refreshing."

"You got that right. I didn't think this sort of thing existed in this game." Two men, one short and round, while another was tall and slim with a mushroom-like hairstyle exited one of the stone buildings, looking extremely pleased with themselves.

"What thing?" Asuna interrupted with a bright smile, making the two men stutter and back away in embarassment. "Come on, tell me."

The short one rubbed his neck nervously. "Well, the hot springs-"

"HOT SPRINGS?!"

Realising that her sudden outburst had stunned the men into silence, Asuna gave an embarassed cough before proceeding to talk as normally as she could. It was difficult to get the excitement out of her voice.

"I-It's not like I'm really into hot springs or anything," she muttered.

The men didn't buy her excuse but decided to play along anyway. "Yeah. Well, if you decided if you want to try, you could enter one of the grey buildings and talk to the NPC," he offered. "It's not really expensive. 400 col. But totally worth it."

400 col! For a good, hot bath that was hard to get in SAO, it was a bargain! Thanking the men, Asuna wasted no time in getting in line for entry to a hot spring.

"I'm sorry miss, but the hot springs are full," the NPC said when it was finally Asuna's turn. She glared at the average height NPC girl with bright blue hair, intending to terrify the NPC into letting her in. Obviously, it had no such effect. The girl simply smiled back at Asuna and said, "Please come again later!"

All the NPCs at all the hot springs outlets said the same thing and it pissed Asuna off. The only thing she wanted was a hot bath to ease her strained muscles (although it was purely psychological, everybody knows the hot springs in SAO could do no such thing). The dejected girl sat on a bench in the main square, cursing her luck.

A few of her guild members greeted her as they passed by, not really puzzled why she was in the town without an escort, and Asuna waved them off politely. Today was not a guild activity day, so it didn't bother her at all. Her current goal now, was to get into the hot springs.

An idea struck her and Asuna smirked, quickly getting to her feet. She was Lightning Flash Asuna. Who would be able to catch her if she decided to sneak in through the back door?

* * *

I leaned against the only tree that grew on top of the bluff that overlooked the city of Lahar. The somber atmosphere did nothing to lighten my mood. Dread had already made its home at the pit of my stomach and not even thinking of Asuna helped.

My heart constricted. In fact, it had made it worse.

I executed the motion needed to prompt the menu window and clicked on the inventory option with the title Kirito's Inventory. I stared hard at it, willing it to change back to Kirito and Asuna's Shared Inventory. It was no use. No matter how much I wished, it would not happen.

I scanned through the other options. Nothing left of Asuna remained.

The motive of my actions were still unclear, even to me. Heathcliff had said nothing about it, despite knowing that we were married. Marriage means that all information and items were shared, and both partners are able to know where the other is and their stats at all times. So why did I dissolve our marriage?

My tracking skills notified me of an approaching player and I sighed, closing the window. Both my swords were already equipped, I am simply waiting for the player himself to appear and challenge me.

Soon enough, my challenger appeared. He was not a player I knew, so the challanger is most likely not a clearer or particularly high leveled. Male, slightly taller than me with a lean build like Klein's. The man wore a full body armour that was bound to slow him down.

He stood a distance away from me for a moment, eyebrows knitted and the edges of his mouth pulled down in a frown. "A player?" he muttered. "I must have gotten the wrong place but you _are _wearing black so..."

I raised my face so that he could have a good look at me.

"Y-You? I'm supposed to fight you?" his sentence ended in a high, agitated note. "Aren't you the beater who betrayed us all? The Black Swordsman?"

A traitor now too huh? I nodded my confirmation. "You can choose to run if you want to. The challenge is to engage me in a duel for five minutes," I told him. It didn't matter if he accepted or flee. Either way, only one is going to walk away from this challenge.

And for Asuna's sake, it would be me.

I could tell that the player was weighing his options. He was not certain of his capability to fight, assuming that he is an average player and only took this quest because it looked like it promised good return. The challenge sounded easy enough. A five minute duel; not a duel to the death. Plus, if he was successful, he would have earned the bragging rights to say that he had outsmarted the dirty beater turned traitor and at the same time, obtain something rare. If I were him, I'd take the risk.

"I accept," he said finally. I was right after all.

The player quickly clicked accept on the challenge screen that popped up in front of him and the five minute timer materialized above us.

Maybe, this is the reason why I made the decision. So that Asuna could not track me down only to watch me do this.

As soon as the timer started, I unsheathed both my swords and launched myself at the player. He yelped, barely dodging me by a few inches. I smirked. So he does have some skill after all.

My challenger brandished his long sword and with a yell, charged at me with his full strength. A bold move; considering I was wearing minimal armor compared to him and that gave me more speed.

I parried his attack and jumped back, purposely giving him time to recover. Just as I expected, the player once again charged at me without a second thought. He must have thought the armor he wore was good enough as defense and focused all his strength on attacks.

Wrong move. With a swift motion, I executed one of the dual blades' lesser skill, double circular. My blades connected with his avatar once and I spun around with a second blow; dealing double the damage a one handed sword could.

_Show no mercy._

The dreaded sounds of shattering reached my ears. This was it. My first intentional kill. Kuradeel was right. I am a murderer.

My swords connected with the ground with a loud clang and I dropped to my knees, clutching my heart. "What have I done?" I mumbled. Everything felt numb; my hands, my arms, my legs. The only present sensation was the ache in my heart.

Heathcliff's words rang in my head. "They will need proof of your betrayal. So for the first challenger, PK him." It was said in such a way that made it sound like a death sentence. Like he was God, able to control death and life at whim. "I don't care what happens to the rest, it's up to you."

I laughed bitterly. "Are you happy now Heathcliff?"

I collected my swords and sheathed them on my back before getting to my feet. There has never been a time in my life where I felt so... tainted. I glanced at the town of Lahar, contemplating whether it would be a good idea to go down there...

"What have I got to lose anyway?"

I equipped a simple grey hooded cloak, pulling the hood down over my head before making my way to the city. It was not like I did not realize there was another player who stayed out of sight ever since he arrived when the duel ended, rather, I was too distracted to care. I'll deal with that when I have to.

* * *

Asuna crouched near the back fence of the hot springs area, on alert for anyone coming her way. When she was sure no one would come, she grinned and readied to-

BEEP!

The sudden message startled Asuna and she stumbled, landing on her rear end painfully. "I was so close," she whined as her fingers clicked on the message. It was from Klein.

Subject: NEW QUEST

Sorry for the sudden message but I found something interesting you might want to know about. It's a quest that an NPC offered at the edge of Lahar. Something like 'A man in black is spotted somewhere North of the city and his presence is scaring all the other NPCs away'. I didn't get to hear what the reward was though, sorry.

Asuna held her breath. A man in black? What are the chances it could be Kirito? The girl immediately abandoned her current mission and quickly typed in a reply. She was only halfway through when another message popped up. Klein again?

Subject: KIRITO!

Found him!

"Stupid Klein," Asuna muttered. "At least tell me his location!"

BEEP!

Subject: PK

Frowning, Asuna glared at the screen. Klein's latest message didn't even have a body, just a subject. What kind of idiot is he? Wait, PK? The girl's blood ran cold. Did Kirito-kun PK someone? Or... Was he the one PK-ed?

The Commander of the Knights of Blood immediately typed in a message, telling Klein to meet her at the very edge of Lahar. Her heart beat fast. It was very probable that Kirito really did commit a PK, but she refrained from jumping to conclusions before she met up with Klein.

The thug-looking guild leader of the Fuurinkazan was already at the entrance gates of Lahar when she arrived. On his shoulder, was a knocked out player with his health bar only three dots away from zero.

Alarmed, Asuna pulled out a healing crystal from her pouch while Klein placed him gently on an empty bench. "What happened?" Asuna asked as she held the crystal to the player's mouth and let the liquid slide down his throat.

Klein rubbed his neck, an uncomfortable expression on his face. "Right after I messaged you about the quest, I followed this man here to a small bluff up North," he started. "He probably challenged Kirito to a duel and Kirito... "

He couldn't bring himself to say it. It was difficult to wrap his mind around the idea but it was true. "I saw the finishing blow myself. Kirito left right after," Klein said.

"But how is this man still alive?"

"Oh, that... Kirito gave me an item that could revive a player within 10 seconds of death a long time ago. I used it on this guy."

Asuna was silently grateful that due to Klein's quick thinking, the man who lay sprawled on the bench was still alive. He had no armor though, the equipment had probably disintergrated when he was defeated in the fight.

"I-I am speechless," Klein said slowly. "Why? No matter how you think about it, it's not possible! Kirito isn't that sort of person to do something like this... So, it couldn't be him. It must have been someone else who looked-"

His musings were interrupted by the unconscience player who now stirred. The man blinked, looking up blearily with unfocused eyes at Asuna, then at Klein.

"Am I dead?" It would be somewhat depressing if the afterlife is also something like this death game. Asuna liked to think it was not.

"No." she replied quickly.

The man's eyes widened before he checked his body and items. "I'm alive..." he mumbled in bewilderment."H-How?" A shiver wracked his body as he reminisced the events that had led up to his supposed death. Somehow, Asuna could relate to him.

It was terrifying to have the words : 'You Are Dead' appear in your vision in bold, red letters. What's more terrifying is the thought that there is nothing to look forward to. There is no 'what happens next'? Just... Nothingness.

Asuna smiled and tilted her head towards Klein's direction. "Long story short, he saved your life."

"Really? Thank you! Thank you!"

Without warning, Klein found himself caught in a death grip and pried the grateful man off him, accepting his thanks graciously. "You're welcome," he offered awkwardly.

"I owe my life to you! Let me join your guild!"

"My...guild?" After a moment's inaction, Klein grinned brightly. "You mean the Fuurinkazan? Of course! Here, let me introduce myself. I'm guild leader, Klein."

The man perked up and gave Klein a serious salute. "I'm Raika, sir!"

Asuna giggled. The whole situation looked comical, especially with Raika calling the thug-like Klein 'sir'. "And I'm Asuna," she said, extending her hand.

Raika sucked in a surprised breath. "Lightning Flash Asuna?"

Klein gave his newest recruit a thumbs up, "The one and only!"

"Wooaah." Raika stared at Asuna in amazement, making the girl feel self-conscious. Noticing her discomfort, he apologized but not before holding out a small card to her. "H-Have this if you want," he said, a fierce blush on his cheeks. "It's a free ticket to the hot springs. An NPC gave this to me when I bought some items at her shop."

_Hot springs!_ Asuna shrieked in happiness inside, not believing her extreme luck. And it's a free ticket to boot. She accepted the ticket happily, already on cloud nine.

"You better be careful kiddo," said Klein with a wink. "Asuna-chan's married."

Married. That single word deflated her happiness in an instant and Asuna ever so slightly flinched. She maintained a bright smile, not wanting both men to know.

Klein clapped Raika's back heartily, sending the younger man into a fit of coughs. "Well, I'm gonna take Raika to the Fuurinkazan's headquarters now. Have fun at the hot springs Asuna-chan!" he waved her off and they disappeared among the throng of people in Lahar's busy steets.

...

Much to Asuna's delight, the ticket that Raika had so generously given her entitled her to a whole closed off area of the hot springs to herself. She sighed in pleasure as she sank into the hot water, enjoying the feel of heat against her skin. It has been too long since she felt this way.

The last time she felt so relieved from a bath was when she first discovered that hot tubs existed in SAO. She had begged Kirito to allow her to use his bathroom, not caring that she would literally be alone with a guy in his house.

The sensation she felt too, was almost like this one.

There was a sense of relief, calmness and satisfaction.

The girl held her left hand up, admiring the wedding band on her ring finger. She still hasn't taken it off, even after their marriage was dissolved. At first, she felt like totally giving up on everything. Luckily for Asuna, Lisbeth had been there with her and the blacksmith comforted her again throughout the night. It was because of her that Asuna had the courage to come up to the 76th floor to check out the city today.

If Kirito had been brave enough to turn against all of them just to save her life, then she would be brave too. Asuna decided that she would brave through anything -big or small- that stands between Kirito and herself. She'd fight her way to the 100th floor and face Heathcliff all by herself if that was what it takes to allow him to come back to her.

She absolutely, would not, become the girl she was two years ago. The girl whom had given up on the real world, thinking that death would come and it was only a matter of sooner or later.

"You have your reasons, don't you?" she asked no one in particular. "I trust you."

Smiling, Asuna was about to get out of the water to reach for a bottle of shampoo when the partition that separated her from other parts of the huge hot spring rumbled. It startled the girl and she quickly submerged into the water, with only her head sticking out.

It didn't sound like a pervert trying to get in, rather it sounded as if someone had crashed into the partition. Ouch.

"A-Are you okay?" Asuna asked loudly, concerned.

"Yeah!"

Asuna gasped. The voice that replied was definitely male but it... sounded awfully like Kirito's voice. She shook her head. _I must really miss Kirito-kun._

"Be careful!" She didn't know why but there was an overwhelming urge to continue this awkward conversation with the person on the other side of the partition. Asuna smiled. It was probably the loneliness.

"Yeah, thanks. It's just slippery here," came the reply. Her imagination was surely going into overdrive today, making her think the voice really belonged to Kirito. But it was impossible. Kirito could be at any floor, doing god knows what. Of all the places, he wouldn't be here.

There was a splashing sound of someone entering the water from the other side. Asuna heard a sigh of pleasure.

"Nice, isn't it?" she closed her eyes.

A pause. "Very. It's very nice."

"It would be better if you brought a friend. I didn't, and I'm really regretting it now."

"Lonely?"

"You could say..."

"That explains your willingness to engage in a conversation with a total stranger."

"H-Hey! I'm just trying to be friendly!"

Funny, even his chuckle was somewhat similar to Kirito's.

"I'll be sure to bring someone with me next time. My most important person. She would love this place, definitely."

Asuna stared up at the grey clouds above. "I'm sure she would."

* * *

I sank deeper into the water. Whoever it was on the other side, she reminded me greatly of Asuna. Stupid brain, making up stuff that doesn't exist. Or maybe it was because I hit my head on the partition earlier? Stupid puddle.

Asuna is probably at home, feeling devastated and betrayed.

What right did I have to enjoy a hot spring bath after putting her through that amount of pain and sadness? In addition to that, I had also just recently committed a PK without even knowing the player's name...

I didn't even want to know why my cursor did not turn red after the deed. It would most likely be Heathcliff's doing.

My hands. I had thought that by dropping by the hot springs, I could somehow get rid of this imaginary taint on my hands. But no matter how hard I scrubbed, that feeling stayed stubbornly. The man's face flashed briefly in my mind and I gasped.

How long would this nameless face haunt me?

"Hey stranger?" the girl just couldn't keep quiet, could she? "Don't sound so tense. Relax."

The tension in my shoulders involuntarily left and I leaned against the edge of the hot spring, looking up at the ash coloured sky. A small smile pulled at the edges of my lips. "Hey stranger?"

"Hmm?"

I closed my eyes. "Thanks."

* * *

A/N: I don't know if I'm gonna keep this up but I can't resist adding some KiritoxAsuna moments in my chapters. I just love the cute couple. Should I continue this trend?

In case you guys wanna know, Raika's just someone I randomly created to fill the position of quester. He'll pop up now and then but won't be participating in anything major, don't worry.

For those worried that Kayaba is slightly out of character, let me explain. To me, Heathcliff is a sort of person who would always keep 'in character' to whatever he is portraying. And now that his identity is exposed, he has to play the role of a true 'Demon King' and will carry it out as so. The Kayaba we all know is still there somewhere.

I'll make up for the lack of plot progression in the next chapter, I promise! So bear with me a bit kay? My goal is to do weekly or fortnightly updates but since I'm a student and I have exams coming up, I might not have the time for it. Fear not. I'll make it up to you by updating twice a week before or after my busy periods.

As always, leave a review on your way out~

Sneak peek:

Kirito's pov

"I'm going to give all of you a choice," I told them in an emotionless tone. "Take your belongings and leave this place quietly. I suggest you take this first choice."

"We don't take orders from a dirty beater like you!" he snarled, baring his teeth at me. "Don't you see that you're outnumbered?"

"Or what?" this time it was Yulier who spoke up.

"Or I will have no choice but to get rid of anyone standing in my way."


	4. End's Beginning

A/N: As promised, this chapter is where the plot finally progresses for real.

This is supposed to be Monday's update but something came up and I would be unable to update it tomorrow. So it's a day early.

Go ahead, enjoy!

* * *

End's Beginning

..

"Good job guys!" Asuna smiled at the members of her guild, sheathing her rapier in process. "If we keep up this pace, we might be able to face the boss for this floor by the end of next week." The cheerfulness in her tone was evident and she stood tall with her usual confidence, making the group of man she addressed feel a little bit more at ease.

They cheered before proceeding disband with the permission of their new leader, Asuna. Increasing the morale of her guild members had been easier than what the new commander expected. They seemed to mirror her own morale. A week ago, when she was depressed and barely talked, they didn't look too happy either. But now that the players had seen the life come back to the petite girl, they raised their hopes.

After all, losing the only two players with unique skills was a huge blow to the clearers. All of them looked up to Asuna for support and leadership. She could not afford to let them down or give up. The morale had to be high or else, this whole endeavor could be permanently crippled

"You were splendid as usual, Asuna-sama," the compliment came from her vice-commander, Conrad who approached her after talking to some players. "And you look better too."

_Thanks to Lisbeth who knocked some sense into me, and the hot springs on the 76th floor, of course. _"Was it really that bad?" Asuna asked, chuckling nervously. "Sorry for making it hard for you."

"N-Not at all!" the brunette looked flustered for a moment before he thought of something and regained his normal composure. "Actually, I'm supposed to remind you that there's an informal gathering of front line clearers during the last battle including guild leaders this evening."

Asuna gasped. That event had totally slipped her mind. The informal meeting had been decided by Klein right after the previous boss battle. Truthfully, she didn't feel like discussing the recent events with anyone. Even Conrad had refrained from mentioning anything to her so far. The Commander of the Knights of Blood sighed. _Oh well, it was only a matter of time before it had to be addressed anyway_.

Two hours later, a fairly famous cafe tucked away in a corner of the town of Algade bustled with activity. Klein had reserved the whole premise for the evening and after half an hour of waiting, players gradually filled up the space. Asuna recognized almost everyone and she greeted them politely when they came up to her.

"Congratulations on the promotion," a familiar male voice said, making Asuna raise a curious eyebrow at the newcomer. Without his usual gear, which was his guild's official armor and uniform, she almost did not recognize the man whom was now clad in a blue dress shirt and black pants, wearing minimal armor.

The chestnut haired girl chuckled before offering the man, Schmitt, to take a seat at the main table. "Can't say the same for you though," Asuna said with a bitter smile as he sat down.

"Yeah, I guess you can't." There was a hint of melancholy in his voice. Everyone knew that the Divine Dragon Alliance guild had just disbanded a few weeks prior to the boss fight, due to their large numbers. Despite that, Asuna certainly saw Schmitt and a few other ex-Divine Dragon Alliance members fighting tooth and nail at the front lines. She was glad he wasn't one of the fourteen whom had perished then.

"So what are you going to do now? Would you want to join the Knights of Blood?" Asuna offered. It would be a waste to see a high level player leave the frontlines, especially when their numbers had dwindled after what has happened.

"That's generous of you, but I'll have to decline."

"Oh? Why?"

"I've decided to create a new guild, consisting of only the top players from Divine Dragon Alliance. That way it wouldn't be too hard to control the members without losing the chance to fight on the front lines," the man said. "And we will have a new policy from now on. This new guild would take in, provide all support and training to anyone who is willing to help fight at the front lines once they are strong enough."

Asuna couldn't help but feel a slight admiration for Schmitt. When had he changed from a ghost-fearing man who regretted his involvement with Griselda's murder to this new person?

The determination that burned in Schmitt's expression was a great relief to Asuna. Somehow, she couldn't shake off the feeling that he was going to be an asset to the team of clearers in the future. Right now, however...

Klein sat at a corner of the cafe, glaring at the mug of ale. He had been that way ever since the meeting started and Asuna had left him alone, thinking that he would join the rest at the main table when he felt like it. She sneaked a glance at his direction. The guild leader of the Fuurinkazan didn't seem inclined to give up on his glaring match with the mug anytime soon...

"Klein-san!"

Klein stared blankly at Asuna who made a motion of waving him over. Schmitt sat beside her, gesturing to an empty seat at the table._ It can't be helped huh?_ Grabbing his half full mug, Klein made his way to the main table and plopped down on the empty place for him.

"I've never thought there would be a day a beautiful girl would invite me to sit at her table," he said with the intent of teasing Asuna. Unfortunately, his words only managed to catch the attention of his guild members that had been making a whole lot of noise ever since the party started. Klein could feel the strength of their glares, boring holes into the back of his head.

Klein had only met Schmitt in person once, during the strategic meeting before the previous boss. Since Schmitt wasn't a player who garnered much attention, Klein merely acknowledged his existance as an ex-member of the Divine Dragon Allianceand moved on.

The man that sat with Asuna at the table, however, looked every bit like the Schmitt he remembered but there was a slight change in his deamenor. One thing Klein noticed was that Schmitt had a calm aura around him; like he has matured somehow.

Asuna exuded the same aura, but hers was mixed with a slight anxiousness and resignation. Klein levelled his gaze towards his mug again. What about himself?

"Aren't you angry?" he asked, mostly to Asuna.

"Are you still at that phase?" Asuna asked with a small chuckle that sounded somewhat forced to Klein. "A little, I guess."

A little? Klein couldn't keep it in any longer. Surely she must feel more than that! Why, even he-

The chestnut haired girl was not even slightly startled by Klein's sudden action of slamming his fist onto the table top. She expected it. "I thought better of him! Sure, he might be an enemy since he decided to work for that maniac Kayaba. But to actually attempt to PK a player-" Klein's left hand which held the mug clenched tightly. "That's... Too much..."

The entire cafe was silenced. Word was sure to get out soon and there would be another uproar over it. One more thing to add to the Black Swordsman list of evil deeds that started with him being a Beater.

"What would you have done?"

Klein looked up sharply, "Huh?"

"If you were in Kirito's place, what would you have done?" Schmitt repeated calmly, letting the words sink in.

The question made Klein think. How would he have reacted in such a situation with his girlfriend killed, and the reason for more than a thousand deaths standing right in front of him? "I would..." the guild leader of the Fuurinkazan hung his head in shame. "I would have most likely have done the same thing... To Kirito, there is nothing more precious than..."

Asuna. The girl with a will of steel and the heart of an angel.

"We must all believe in him," said girl spoke up. "He promised that he'll find a way back to me. Kirito-kun has never broken a promise, so I trust him. You're Kirito-kun's friend too, Klein-san. You should have faith in him as well."

An impish grin found its way to Klein's face. "As always, you're right again, Asuna!" He shot a suspicious look at Schmitt, "But you sound somehow out of character."

"E-eh?"

"But it's not like we knew each other before so, that's okay."

With the atmosphere considerably lightened, the noise racked up again. Soon, everyone would have arrive. The meeting would start and Asuna would be forced to address the whole raiding party. She sighed heavily. That was definitely not something she looked forward to right now.

A strategy had to be devised to make up for the loss of two key players. That would be the main agenda, brought forward to the official strategic meetings in the days to come. It wouldn't be easy but the cold, hard truth needs to be faced head on.

"Guys!" everyone stopped to stare at the newcomer who slammed the door open so hard, the immortal object tab appeared above the furnishing. "Bad news! The first floor! It's under attack!"

Asuna was the first to stand. "Under attack? How?"

The small man shook his head. "The details are unclear but massive amount of players from the starting city are teleporting to the second floor for refuge!"

"Even if it was a monster, there's no way it could harm anyone within the Safe Area of a town," Klein thought aloud, eyebrows knitted together.

The starting city is the residence of a huge number of players. Asuna froze. A huge number of players who are unable to defend themselves properly, like Sasha and the children...

"We must help them!" Using her speed to its maximum ability, Asuna sprinted out of the small cafe towards the teleport gate. _Please, let me be on time!_

* * *

_.._

The deafening sound of screams erupted all around me without end. The atmosphere was crackling with fear and terror as I stepped out of the teleport gate, preventing anymore escapes.

It must have been a terrifying sight. All these players, scared out of their wits by the monsters that rampaged so near to the safe area and just as they were about to escape, a dark haired player in a black leather coat armed with a sword on his back stood in front of the teleport gate.

I was immediately confronted with more than a thousand people, all with frantic looks on their faces. Most of them were players who had given up on this death game, deciding to live the lives as civilians without any risk of dying. They wore the basic armor that was given when the game started, two years ago.

The absolute hatred in their eyes told me that despite their easygoing lives, they knew exactly who I was. The Black Swordsman who had turned his back on them. I was worse than any beta tester or beater. A traitor.

They wanted to take me down but they knew they couldn't, so they remained in a weary silence, anticipating what I would do. The roars and cries of monsters filled the silence as they surrounded the City of Beginnings, unable to enter. By right, they should not be frightened; comforted by the system's safe area protection where their health bar would never touch the yellow region.

But these are people who have little to no skill in fighting nor defending; passing their time waiting for fruits to fall off trees to sell for a minimal amount of col. Naturally, they were afraid.

I scanned the whole expense of the city of beginnings, searching for any sight of an Aincrad's Liberation Force member. None. Apparently, they were smart enouh to know that the monsters could not harm them and had holed themselves up in the Black Iron Palace. The mass of players did nothing, even as I stepped down from the gate and steadily made my way towards the entrance to the massive palace in this city.

There they were. I should give myself a pat on the back.

I immediately recognized two familiar players, Thinker and Yulier who were engaged in some sort of quarrel with another person whom I was also familiar with. Kibaou. Wasn't he thrown out of the guild?

"We must certainly protect the other players!" Yulier argued. "We must calm them down and find a way to drive out those monsters!"

Kibaou sneered at her with the same expression I saw two years ago at the strategic meeting for the first boss. "The players would be fine! It's already proven that those things can't enter. If anything, this is a huge advantage to us. We can offer protection if they pay us a fee."

Dispicable.

It was at that moment that Thinker turned away and saw me. "W-Why are you here?" he demanded, his right hand immediately going for the hilt of his one handed sword that hung at his hip. "Yulier! Round up everyone and get away."

That single sentence was enough to make me the center of attention of everyone in the palace. I hid my discomfort behind an impassive mask. This is one of the reasons why I chose to become a solo player. I disliked this kind of attention.

"That's the Black Swordsman isn't he? That's the Beater!"

"He's the one that teamed up with the Paladin! I heard that both of them are now partying together."

"Isn't the Paladin, Kayaba Akihiko?"

"We should just defeat him for the sake of all the players!"

"Yeah! He's just one man! We can crush him with our massive numbers!"

I decided to ignore the hushed whispers. Half of what they said were true anyway; I found no reason to neither deny nor approve it. I wasn't here to listen to them talk about me, rather...

"I'm going to give all of you a choice," I told them in an emotionless tone. "Take your belongings and leave this palace quietly. I suggest you take this first choice."

Kibaou growled and brandished his one handed sword, swinging it threateningly. Was that supposed to frighten me? "We don't take orders from a dirty beater like you!" he snarled. "Don't you see that you're outnumbered?"

"Or what?" this time it was Yulier who spoke up.

"Or I will have no choice but to get rid of anyone standing in my way."

"Why you!" Kibaou raised his weapon and lunged at me without warning. I have no idea what triggered him to suddenly act out that way and simply sidestepped him, making him stumble forwards and fall flat on his face. "You damn traitor."

He could call me anything he wanted. I was already feeling numb to everything around me starting from the moment I had committed my first intentional PK. I am already a murderer. If my hands could take one life, how many more would it be able to take before I completely give in to this darkness?

Thinker took in a shaky breath. His hands were trembling when he moved them away from the hilt of his sword. "I don't understand why you would want to do this," he said slowly. "But I prefer peace over fighting. My guild members and I will take your first offer gladly."

I relaxed my stance, relieved. "You made a good decision-" I began.

My sentence was cut off. Kibaou had got back to his feet and swung his sword at me with an immense amount of strength. My quick reflexes allowed me to dodge it, but I wasn't too pleased. The Elucidator slid out of its sheath easily and I rammed the hilt of the sword into Kibaou's unguarded stomach.

The force I used behind my attack made Kibaou double over in pain, clutching his middle. Now he was wide open. I stood behind him with the end of my blade pointed to the back of his neck.

"You bastard," he growled.

"Let's not call each other names, shall we?" I sneered back.

"E-enough!" Thinker stepped forward. "We'll do what you want. Please."

I sheathed the Elucidator and Kibaou hurriedly scrambled away from me. "Then leave the palace." _before it's too late and he gets here._

One by one, the members of The Army left their base, fearing for their lives. Kibaou's loyal friends dragged him out kicking and screaming. I had at least five curses thrown my way before he was finally out of my sight. The last to leave were Thinker and Yulier. The dark haired guild leader stepped up to me, as close as he dared, which was still a good distance away.

"Don't question what I do," I told him before he could say anything. _Because I don't know how to explain it either._

Thinker looked conflicted and he glanced back at Yulier. The woman however, maintained her stiff stance, obviously disturbed by the turn of events.

"Then may I ask why you decided to spare all of us?" he asked tentatively.

Had he heard of the PK already? I shrugged my shoulders, pretending to be bored by the question. "I was not given an order to PK anyone, just to occupy the Black Iron Palace."

"I see."

"If there is nothing else, I strongly suggest both of you catch up with the rest of your members," I turned my back to them.

My only reply were a gasp and hurried footsteps that echoed as they left me in the coldness of this massive palace.

"Excellent job, Kirito-kun." Heathcliff stepped out of the distorted space that had appeared a few moments after Thinker and Yulier left, between two black marble pillars of the palace. He scanned the empty expanse of the building, seemingly satisfied by my work. "Not a single player left in this city. Now is the perfect moment. Come, it's now time to make the grand announcement."

His armor clinked as he strode towards the inner area of the palace; an abnormally large room where the names of every player in this death game was etched onto a slab of rock. The room of the Monument of Life. I followed him without a word, with my eyes fixed on the tail of his red cape that swept the ground when he walked.

The Monument of Life itself was a massive object, rising up from the floor to nearly reach the ceiling and it contains the names of all 10 000 players of SAO with the sole purpose of keeping track of who was alive, and who was not. When a player was killed, his or her name was crossed out and the reason for death was etched on the space beside the name. I craned my neck, searching for a particular name... Asuna. A sigh of relief escaped me when I saw that her name was still untouched, indicating that she was alive. I noticed something odd and focused my vision on something small beside her name.

It was a tiny, white dash that stopped shy of the first letter of Asuna's name. That was how close Asuna had been to being good as dead before I decided to take Heathcliff's offer and revive her.

"Players of Sword Art Online, I congratulate you for surviving this long." When I finally turned around, numerous screens had filled up the space in front of Heathcliff with each one displaying a crowd of players at a particular floor. Heathcliff's voice boomed in the vast chamber as he continued to address them. "I had expected a warm welcome from the inhabitants of the Starting City but it seems that my monsters and my new _servant _had been frightening enough to scare all of you away to the second floor. No matter."

They could see me. The screens were apparently two-way because the moment Heathcliff uttered the word servant, thousands of pairs of eyes were fixed on me who stood some feet away from Heathcliff.

I fought the urge to step back while telling myself that eyes couldn't talk. I was wrong. Those orbs spoke of fear, contempt and hatred...for me.

"I have decided to speed up the pace of Sword Art Online," Heathcliff announced, commanding the crowd's attention once again. "Some of you have been idle, merely spending your time rotting away in this first town without stepping a foot in the dungeons in fear of your life. Now, I have provided some sort of...incentive for all the players to take up their weapons and conquer the remaining 25 floors of Aincrad."

The roars of rampaging monsters shook the ground and judging by the unsettled crowd, they felt it on their respective floors too. All of the monsters responded to Heathcliff. I lifted a gloved hand. Now, they respond to me too.

"The Cardinal which is SAO's primary management system has been programmed to maintain balance within the game and so far, it has identified that compared to the large number of players, the number of monsters slain in certain floors is low. That certainly would not do," Heathcliff continued. "To counter this, Cardinal will perform a gradual floor by floor update for the AI of local monsters. Monsters with updated AI will be able to enter safe areas in search of players to engage."

My eyes widened at the new revelation. That's madness! At this rate, the untrained players would be most at risk. Since I stood behind him, I could not see Heathcliff's expression. Would it be one of glee? Or pity?

"In other words, the longer you hold off upgrading your sword skills and keep on hiding, the more at risk you are when the monsters finally catch up to you. I hope this _motivates _some of you to put your heart and soul into completing SAO."

A pat on my shoulder snapped me out of my stunned state. Heathcliff smiled down at me with the superior air he always had around him before turning back to the screens. I wanted to slap his hand away. Why won't my hands move? "And the person I entrust the task to oversee the overall effectiveness of this new change is none other than the Black Swordsman who wields the dual blades."

The crowd began to rouse, ripples of discontent and anger appearing amidst the sea of people. Someone from the center of a crowd yelled out something incoherant but the people surrounding him cheered him on. In other screens, the silence stretched on, broken only by the occasional wail and hysterics.

"That is all."

One by one, the screens went blank before disppearing in a flash of white light. I continued to stare in horror, frozen, until I saw an orange blur in front one of the last remaining screens.

"KIRITO!"

My eyes locked with Asuna's for a brief second.

Then, the screen disappeared.

* * *

A/N: Whew, finally that's done. Still can't believe I wrote all that. Half a year ago, I wouldn't dream of writing fanfics that have anything to do with these kinda stuff. I normally concentrate on fluff. I like fluff. :3

Thank you, my wonderful reviewers. I'd read your encouraging reviews whenever I was faced with a writer's block and it's safe to say that you guys are my muse. :3

Plus, I usually put off writing but whenever a review comes in, I'd go "Maybe I'll write a little bit more." A little bit goes a long way huh?

Here's another sneak peek:

"Silica?"

The girl looked up, tearing up at the sight of Kirito in his usual black attire. Finally. Finally, she found him! Silica stepped forward. Stiffening, Kirito took a step back to maintain the distance between them.

"Kirito-san?"

He said nothing, head bent down. Silica let her gaze fall on the unsheathed black sword that Kirito gripped in his hand. Was he trembling?

"Kirito-san... Are you going to kill me?"

MWAHAHAHA! :D

Read and review!~ till next time!


	5. Silica

A/N: FINALLY. This week's update was somewhat late, but finally I got it posted. Whew. Here. Enjoy the fruits of my labour.

..

Silica sighed as she plopped down on a soft patch of grass that was under the shade of a tree. Her feathery dragon and constant companion, Pina, crooned once before landing on her lap and curling up into tight ball, immediately falling asleep.

Silica giggled. "I know, I'm tired too, Pina," she said while stroking the dragon's soft back. Pina purred in its sleep, enjoying Silica's affectionate gesture, making Silica giggle more.

The player and familiar pair had left their new home in the city of Floria early in the morning to train at the nearby fields and had spent almost five hours monster farming for experience points. The girl stopped stroking Pina, much to the dragon's protest, and prompted her menu screen before glaring at the stats display. She had been doing that countless of times now but the green experience gauge never seemed to be increasing as much as she hoped.

"I'm so tired," Silica whined, throwing her hands up in a gesture of frustration. "When am I going to get as strong as Asuna-san?"

Pina made a soft noise, as if questioning its master's sudden urge to level up.

"It's because... I want to meet Kirito-san," Silica said slowly, continuing to stroke Pina's back. "He's up there somewhere, at the 76th floor most likely. And if I'm not strong enough to get there, then I'll never be able to meet him." The unshed tears were making her vision blurry. Silica sniffled, "They're saying mean things about him lately. I need to tell Kirito-san that I don't think the same way. I don't believe he's a bad person, Pina."

The familiar opened its eyes and perked up.

"Yeah, you remember right? Kirito-san saved both of us. He's a good person."

Silica placed an arm over her eyes to stop the tears from falling. She had visited every town on every floor in search of Kirito and had yet to find him. It didn't help that ever since Kayaba announced his plans two days ago, everywhere she went, she could only hear discussions on the topic. The latest she overheard while having dinner last night was that the Army had finally split into two after Kibaou's recent expulsion. The first half, which consisted of Thinker and Yulier's supporters, revived the mutual-aid organization called MMO Today and have taken up the responsibility of caring for the terrified players whom had fled from the first floor. On the other hand, Kibaou had vowed to put an end to the Black Swordsman and was planning to rejoin the clearing group on the front lines.

_Why are they acting as if Kirito-san is the only person to blame? _Silica bit her lip, preventing a sob from escaping. _It's not his fault! Kirito-san would never do something like that without a reason!_

Nobody cared what reason the Black Swordsman had for betraying them. All they want is a person to blame. For an unknown cause, her temper flared at that thought. It was the same anger she felt when she saw Heathcliff's face on the projection screen as he addressed the players.

Everyone was taking action. Silica decided that she would take her own course of action too. "I'm going to get stronger," the girl muttered to herself, feeling determination seep within her. "I'm going to show everyone that Kirito-san is not as bad as they say he is! I'm going to get stronger and go up to the 76th floor to find him and when I do, I'll ask his reason for doing this. I'll tell him that even if no one believes him, I will still believe him!"

"A wonderful speech!" the familiar voice that accompanied the claps that came out of nowhere startled Silica. "If you want, I'll help you."

The person who said that was a girl, somewhat around the same height as Silica, but her face was hidden beneath a hood. Pina unfolded its wings and hovered near Silica, showing its wariness towards the stranger.

"Ah, sorry," the stranger rubbed the back of her head in a sheepish manner. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Argo."

Silica gasped when the girl dropped her hood, revealing pale skin that was marked with three straight lines on each cheek and warm, brown eyes. She has heard of this person before. The leader of her previous party had mentioned that Argo, also known as the Rat, would even sell her own grandmother for col. That's how money minded this player is.

Argo allowed herself to be gaped at for a few moments before finally deciding she was done being treated like something abnormal. "I'm sure you know it's rude to stare," Argo said, crossing her arms over her chest. "How about telling me your name now?"

Silica blinked once. Then, a shy smile spread across her face. "I'm Silica."

The Rat nodded, pleased. "From your little speech I overheard, it looks like you're all fired up about the recent events."

"Y-Yeah, you could say that..."

Argo grinned. "For a minimal amount of col, I'll tell you one of the best spots in this level to farm experience points!"

"Really?!" the Beast Tamer's face lit up. "How much?"

"Only 5000 col."

Even Pina squeaked angrily. How is 5000 col minimal for one measly piece of information? But then again, she did collect a fair amount of col from all the monsters she killed this morning. If the place that Argo spoke of really exists, it would be easy for her to collect 5000 col again. So, should she-?

"You're gonna burst that pretty head from thinking too much." Argo broke out in a fit of giggles, making Silica pout in protest. She was pretty proud of her ability to rationalize better than other kids her age too! "How bout this. It seems we have something in common, so I'll tell you the spot without the money."

That's kind of suspicious.

"Of course, you'd owe me a favour in return. Deal?"

Much better.

"As long as it's not too dangerous," Silica said, sealing the deal with a handshake.

"It won't be," Argo replied nonchalently. She produced two purple teleport crystals, handing one over to Silica. "Just stay close okay? Teleport! Deep Forest!"

The place Silica had teleported to was unfamiliar. The trees rose high up to the ceiling, making her feel small and insignificant in comparison. At first she wondered what floor she was on, but the telltale purple and white flowers that were everywhere in Floria made her realize that they were still on the same floor. There was no obvious road but if she strained her eyes, Silica could spot a narrow dirtpath that she guessed would bring her deeper into this mysterious forest if she followed it. However, much to her dismay, she saw no NPC settlement or even a green cursor that signified the presence of another player anywhere near her current location. Silica's number one rule that she came up with after meeting Kirito the first time was: Never wander too far away from a village or city when alone.

Well, she wasn't exactly alone this time... But still her stomach twisted nervously.

There's something about the place that would make any normal person feel uncomfortable.

"Argo-san, perhaps we should head for the nearest village first so that I could buy some supplies," Silica suggested as she turned to face the other girl. Her vigorous training session had left her with less than three bottles of healing crystals left and Silica wasn't even sure how strong the monsters here were.

She would definitely need more than three. Silica did not want to take any chances with her life.

Beside her, Argo gave the girl a knowing grin. "Don't worry! If you follow me carefully, three would be more than enough to level up at least two times and I guarantee your safe return," she said with a reassuring pat on Silica's shoulder. "All you have to do is-"

_There it was again!_

Without waiting for Argo to finish her sentence, Silica burst into a full sprint into the forest. She had noticed it, when she first arrived, a black presence that disappeared as soon as she was aware of it. It wasn't a monster, she was sure of it now. Because when she caught the black figure out of the corner of her eye, she could swear she saw a green cursor.

There was no doubt about it, it must be Kirito!

"Silica!"

Ignoring the call, Silica pushed her body faster. In this virtual world, adrenaline could do nothing to surpass the maximum value of her abilities. Yet, Silica tried her best to keep up with the black figure.

_I need to reach him!_ Silica gritted her teeth, fatigue quickly catching up. She can't keep up this pace forever. _Why are you running away?!_

Her lungs were about to burst, demanding for oxygen, but the girl refused to give up. Black spots danced in her vision. _Just... A little bit more..._

A ferocious cry that scattered virtual birds and shook the nearby trees and the ground she stood on made Silica freeze in her tracks.

She stared in disbelief as the black figure she thought was Kirito melt into a small puddle of black mess before merging with a bigger being that made the ground rumble and crack open as it clawed its way to the surface. Silica trembled.

She has never seen something like this before. Before her, a gigantic monster growled, slamming its numerous tentacles into the surrounding trees, crushing the trunks like they were nothing. Its small, red eyes locked on her and from a slit that Silica guessed was its mouth, the monster dribbled grey liquid that quickly made the grass sizzle and turn to ash when it dropped.

She was tricked!

Silica turned back to run but deapite its huge size, the monster was quicker. Dark beings similar to the one she had been chasing after, blocked her path. Their faceless heads unnerved her and Silica shuddered. It seems that she had no choice but to fight.

The monster roared once, swinging one large tentacle at her and Silica immediately reacted. Using her small body to her advantage, Silica dodged the tentacle and slashed it with her dagger. The black limb writhed on the ground before melting into a black puddle and remerged with the monster, allowing it to regrow.

_No way..._

Her momentary stupor was enough for the monster to swipe another tentacle at Silica, taking a good chunk out of her health bar and she crashed into a hard tree trunk, slumping to the ground in pain.

She waited for the feel of Pina's healing magic. Nothing. Silica gasped, finally noticing that in her haste, she had left Pina. The girl quickly got to her feet, rummaging her pouch for a healing crystal.

The monster gave a victorious cry and loomed over the girl, raising a threatening tentacle over her head. It brought the heavy limb down to crush her.

Silica never felt it. In a distance, she could hear the shattering of polygons that indicated that the monster was defeated. Who-?

"Argo-san?" she called out timidly, still not ready to open her eyes. The monster had scared her out of her wits and if she saw Argo's displeased expression now, she might just break down. The information broker was sure to charge her ten times more for the trouble she caused.

"No, it's me."

Startled by the voice, Silica opened her eyes. Kirito stood at the place the monster once was in his usual manner, a concerned look on his face. _Is this_ real? Cautiously, Silica glanced at her surroundings._ Is this another trap?_

_This is probably my imagination. _Silica stared at the ground in misery. Kirito wouldn't be here, so she must still find him. Where could he possibly be? She wanted to see him so much that even her mind had created this hallucination to make her feel better.

Could hallucinations defeat monsters?

Could players even experience hallucinations in SAO?

Frowning at the questions in her head, Silica glared harder at the ground. She wanted to believe, that it really was Kirito who had saved her and was standing in front of her. But she couldn't. After searching so many floors, he couldn't be on the same floor she lived at.

Something at the back of her mind tugged. _He is here._

"Silica."

The girl looked up and immediately teared at the sight of Kirito in his usual black attire. This is real. That voice; that face. Real. Finally. Finally, she found him! Silica stepped forward. Stiffening, Kirito took a step back to maintain the distance between them.

"Kirito-san?" Her heart ached. Why did he back away?

He said nothing, head bent down. Silica let her gaze fall on the unsheathed black sword that Kirito gripped in his hand. The monster had been defeated a few minutes ago yet the sword is still drawn at his side. And... Was he trembling?

Silica met his dark eyes.

"Kirito-san... Are you going to kill me?"

* * *

Her question made me flinch. It stabbed my chest, adding to the pain in my heart. So Silica thought the same way as everyone else. It was befitting though; all my previous actions would make any sane player think the same.

Her brown eyes were fixed on my sword and suddenly her words made sense. Of course. I sheathed the Elucidator on my back, hearing the statisfying click as it fit snugly into the scabbard. "I... Would never want to kill you. Or anyone else," I said, offering the girl a weak smile.

She didn't say anything for a moment that seemed to stretch on forever. What could the girl be thinking? I snorted. She was probably weighing my words, deciding whether she could trust them._ Trust me_, I wanted to say but my gut said otherwise. Who would trust a player killer like me?

Even I don't trust myself.

She opened her mouth to speak and I could somehow hear the words already. _How could kill a player? You're just a selfish beater after all. Kirito-san, you're a traitor!_

"I believe you, Kirito-san." Her actual words defied all my thoughts. It didn't make sense.

She stepped forward and I let her. "You can say anything in the world and I would believe you."

My voice was barely a whisper. "Why?"

Silica was now close enough to reach out for me, tears in her eyes. "Because I'm your friend."

Friend. That word resounded in my head. Ever since I was trapped in this death game, how many friends have I had? Probably just a handful. I had always known that I was a bit of a loner but the way Silica said it, it actually made me feel...lonely.

This girl. Silica. She was someone I helped on a whim from a bunch of monsters. If Asuna was my in-game wife, then Silica is something like a younger sister. Like Sugu. Her opinion, to me, mattered. And I'm glad it didn't change.

I reached out a hand and patted her, surprising the shorter girl. She looked up at me before smiling brightly, making me smile a little in return.

"Silica!"

The sudden yell and the appearance of a player made both of us jerk away and look up sharply towards the source of the noise.

As I expected, Pina and Argo ran towards us, the latter looking extremely tired and dishevelled. Pina immediately settled on its master's head, expressing its complaint at being left behind and the girl rubbed the dragon's chin apologetically.

"You sure run fast Silica," Argo said in between gulps of air. "Are you okay?"

"I ran into a high levelled monster but Kirito-san came just in time to help me," the girl replied cheerfully.

"That's good, that's good." A pause. Argo glanced at my direction, finally noticing my presence. "Kii-bou?!" The Rat seemed at a loss of words and openly gaped at me, making me feel slightly self conscious.

"B-But what are you doing here?"

Should I lie to her? As I contemplated between lying or telling the truth, my eyes scanned her avatar, looking for something that she might have. Argo was definitely hiding something because she quickly caught on, pulling her cloak closer to her body and watched me with a certain wariness in her eyes.

"You have it, don't you?" I asked and noted the immediate tenseness of her shoulders. I definitely guess right on this one. Something was hidden in this part the floor and Argo had it. It was an easy guess, really. If anyone had extra information on things like this, it would definitely be Argo the Rat.

"I have no idea what you're thinking about."

Between us, Silica shifted nervously. I had been watching both Silica and Argo ever since they teleported into the forest and through her actions, it was clear that Silica had no idea about this hidden item. Argo, apparently, did know about it and had somehow gained the item when I fought off the monster that attacked Silica.

I suspected that the death of the monster might have triggered an event that I didn't know of.

Now it seems that if I wanted the item, I'd need to negotiate. "I'll pay any price," I offered the Rat.

Argo's eyes widened. Knowing her, she could never resist such an offer.

"N-no."

I was truly caught off guard by her reply.

"Sorry Kii-bou, but no can do. It's not for sale," she said with more strength to her words. She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "There's someone who needs it more than you do, so I can't sell it to you no matter how much you offer me."

That was it. If Argo refused to sell anything, then she would not sell it for anything in the world. It was this principle that kept the Beta Testers safe from the anger of the other players throughout this game. I knew better than to push her.

I sighed, defeated. "Then can I at least know where else can I get that item?"

"You can't. It's a one-time item," she replied.

That was true. At least, it was half-true. I knew for a fact that the item she had, is in fact a legendary item. And it could possibly help me in the long run._  
_

Deciding to give up for the time being, I fished a teleport crystal from my pouch. Silica noticed the action and made a move to stop me but I activated the crystal before she could interfere. "See you guys around; Silica, Argo." Those were the words I said before the sound of shattered glass filled my ears and white light consumed me.

_Somehow, I'll have to get that item from her._

* * *

...

"Thank you Asuna-san!" the children cheered as they gathered around the table which Asuna had piled with various types of weapons and items.

The girl frowned, watching each child as they chose and picked their preferred equipment. "I'm not really sure about this..." she muttered, throwing a worried glance at the door in case Sasha appeared. "Sasha-san would never approve."

"You're right, I don't." Asuna nearly jumped in surprise at the sudden appearance of the woman who merely chuckled. "I'd rather these kids not endanger themselves like this," Sasha continued.

"Don't worry! With these, we'll do our best to protect you and the younger kids!" one of the older children said, evoking a loud cheer. They had such a fierce determination that even Sasha could not help but smile. Asuna decided that they would make great warriors in this game.

"I'll find a way to repay you one day, definitely." Sasha said, bowing gratefully to the flustered girl.

"N-no! You don't need to."

The woman shook her head, gesturing to the group of children that huddled around a table. "With the sudden demand for weapons on the lower floors, the prices have gone up. Without you, we would not have enough weapons to equip ourselves and would have a higher chance of dying anyway," she said.

Asuna sighed and agreed with the woman. "MMO Today has a limited amount of resource after all," she added. "My guild will help out in anyway we can but there's only so much we can do. We must focus on the front lines too."

A small hand touched hers and Asuna looked up to the determined looks of the children. "We'll be okay, Asuna-san," they said, giving her a slight relief. "You do your best and we'll do ours!"

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

The small room that Asuna had rented for them quickly filled with laughter that was uncharacteristic of the somber atmosphere that blanketed the whole second floor. Asuna clenched her fist, trying her best to memorize the sound of happiness. _I'll protect these children. I definitely will._

After making sure that Sasha and her charges had everything they needed, Asuna left the inn and headed towards the edge of the town where Thinker had set up a temporary headquarters for his guild, MMO Today. The yellow building was moderate sized, suitable for a guild whose members had dwindled after the splitting of the Army.

Yulier and Klein did not even look up when she entered the discussion room, too immersed in their strategizing. Thinker offered the Commander of the Knights of the Blood a seat at the table as he filled her in with the minor details of the meeting.

"Money is the biggest problem right now," Yulier muttered. "We must get all the civilians equipped first. Then, we'll need manpower to help train them."

"What about safety?" Klein interjected. "Kibaou and his band of bullies are still in town."

"Schmitt could probably help with the training," Asuna suggested, recalling the conversation she had with the man during their last meeting. "He did say that his guild is willing to train anyone who will join the front lines once they are strong enough."

Thinker nodded. "I will make an effort to contact and negotiate with him. But the players here are all at very low levels and it will take a long time before they will be able to get anywhere near the front lines."

"That's true too..."

All of them stared hard at the floor map that was spread on the table. Klein tapped his foot impatiently, sighing heavily.

"Well, on a different note, we don't know when these monsters would be able to breach the town's safe area," Thinker said, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. "Our first focus must be to raise the levels of the players so that they will be able to evacuate this city as soon as possible. The safe margin would probably be at least three floors above."

"I'm sure there are some middle level guilds that are willing to help," Klein said as he scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I'll check in with some buddies of mine."

Yulier smile and placed a comforting hand on Asuna's shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "MMO Today will do all we can to save as much lives as possible. The Clearers should also do all they can to end this game quickly."

_Wow. No pressure, huh? _

She was about to say something when the door slammed open, revealing Silica who looked like she desperately wanted to say something with Argo trailing behind her.

She marched into the room, right up to Asuna and gave her a strong look.

"Asuna-san," Silica began. Asuna held her breath, anticipating what the girl would say.

"I would like to join your guild. Please accept me."

Asuna didn't know what to do. So instead, she laughed at Klein's sudden outburst that had him cursing his luck with girls.

"How about joining my guild Silica-chan?" Klein pleaded, attempting to pout at the girl. "Our guild is so lonely without girls! It's not fair that Asuna's guild gets all the females!"

Silica cringed and backed away from Klein; making Thinker and Yulier laugh at Klein's pitiful attempt to recruit Silica.

"A sweet girl like you shouldn't be in the same guild with someone like Klein," Asuna said with a grin, deliberately ignoring Klein. She gave the girl a side hug and ruffled her hair. "Welcome to the guild!"

To Silica, this is when her quest to become as strong as she could possibly be, began.

* * *

A/N: okay, so I have bad news. I'll be taking a short break from this fic (2 weeks tops) due to exams. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, exams.

Blame student life.

Anyway, there won't be an update next week. So, I am terribly sorry to all of my followers and reviewers. I'll pick up as soon as I can when exams are done.

No sneak peek this week cause I haven't started writing the next chapter. But I promise some sweet KiritoxAsuna moments! Look forward to it!

Don't forget to leave a review on your way out! :D


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